Originally Posted by Anonymous
To any parent who has a kid on a 2022 team that doesn't think teams fielding holbacks is an issue - I encourage you to go watch the Crabs 2020 elite team. I have seen the roster, know the players and their DOBs. This is not whining or moaning - this is stating a fact that their are multiple 16 year olds in their line up and a slew of 15 year olds that will turn 16 by the end of 2016. Putting 16 year olds on the field with 13 year olds is unsafe. Unless HOCO adopts a grade based program with an age cutoff or goes strictly age based - your 8th grade kid is going to be playing against someone who can drive themselves to the game. It's a sad state.


I get it but just changing to age based won't stop a lot. Cheaters will still cheat. I know for a fact (because I personally know the kids involved) who have played in u9, u11. U13 and have been too old for the cutoff.

No one that i can remember has ever asked for my so 's birth certificate yet. He is 11 but what is stopping me (excepty own integrity) from letting him play in a u9 tourney this summer.

Even if birth certificates are required, unless they are checked with a picture ID EVERY game.....it still won't solve anything. I have a good friend who's son plays on a rival club. They have added 3 players and had 2 leave to go to other teams in the past couple weeks. I thought rosters had to be set? I don't think any of this was "cheating" as much as survival because they are a non playoff B team.

Nothing, except the integrity of the coaches, directors and families will keep teams from cheating regardless of the rules.

Well, one thing might.....you hit them in the pocket. Not an attorney but would be interested to know the liability if a 15 year old who has signed up to play in a u13 tourney because his grade based team is there. The 15 year old seriously hurts a 12 year old. I know we sign waivers but aren't they protecting the tourney? Couldn't a parent sure Club XYZ for playing a 15 year old in a u13 if a child was badly injured?

Trust me, I get why a parent would holdback a kid. I have 2 kids with summer birthdays and if I had to do it over again, I would with mine. However, both are starters on 2 different playoff high end teams and are both the 3rd youngest on their teams. So if you are good enough, you play up or at age. If i held them back tomorrow. I wouldn't want them to move down, it would hurt both of them lacrosse wise. Yeah, they would probably be the best or top 3 on their squads but so what. They will get better being the 3rd best middie on their current team